efforts of his friends could not do, the rivalry of his ene mies brought about.

Lambert and Monk had long hated each other; and Monk, partly perhaps to disappoint Lambert, who was se cretly ambitious of the protectorship, formed the design of bringing back the king, and entered into a correspondence with him. But he kept his intentions so well concealed that he appeared to be only acting for the restoration of the parliament.

Monk collected several scattered regiments in Scotland, and marched directly into England. Lambert set forward to meet him, but found himself deserted by his own soldiers; and the parliament, being no longer held in terror by the troops, assumed once more the reins of government arrested Lambert, and committed him to the Tower.

Monk and his army soon reached London. He appeared at first to acknowledge the authority of the parliament; but in a few days he openly avowed his contempt of that obtrusive body of men, and declaring for a free parliament, he called together all the surviving members of the old or long parliament, who had been expelled by colonel Pride in 1648. They met on February 21, 1660, and in a few days formally dissolved themselves, and issued writs for a new parliament, which assembled April 25.

On the 1st of May, Monk, having every thing ripe for his project, ventured to propose to parliament the restoration of the king. It is impossible to describe the joy with which this proposal was heard-a joy which soon spread from the house to the city, and from thence through the whole country. The peers, from all parts of the kingdom, hastened to reinstate themselves in their parliamentary rights and on the 8th of May Charles II. was proclaimed king, and a committee of gentlemen was sent to invite him to return and take possession of his dominions.

The king sailed from Scheveling, a small village on the coast of Holland, and was met at Dover by general Monk,

Who formed a project to restore the monarchy ?

How did Monk proceed to effect the restoration?

What measures were taken in respect of parliament ?

Was the return of Charles to England acceptable to the nation?
When did Charles enter London?

who conducted him to London, which he entered, amidst the joyful acclamations of the people, May 29, 1660.

In the time of the Commonwealth the business of banking was first practised. Before the civil war, the Mint in in the Tower was the usual place of deposit for money; but after the commencement of the disturbances, the private property of individuals was no longer thought safe in the Mint, and the goldsmiths were employed by the rich merchants and tradesmen to take care of their money for them, and thus the goldsmiths became the first bankers. Episcopacy had been abolished by the parliament during the war. In the time of the Commonwealth, most of the loyal and orthodox clergy were dispossessed of their livings, and allowed small pensions; and, instead of regular clergy, itinerant preachers were employed, who rode about the country to teach the people doctrines.

Charles the First appointed a post to carry letters once a week between London and Edinburgh. The system was afterwards much extended and improved during the Commonwealth and the privilege of franking was then first allowed to the members of the house of commons. This was confirmed to them by Charles II., who extended the privilege to the peers also. Franking is the privilege of certain persons to send letters by mail, free of expense.

Newspapers were first circulated in England in the reign of queen Elizabeth, in order to apprize the country of the defeat of the Spanish armada. After this occasion had passed by, they were discontinued for many years, since the date commonly assigned to their first publication is that of the year 1642.

When was banking first practised in England?

What was the state of the English church during the existence of the commonwealth?

When were mails first put in operation in Britain?

When were newspapers first circulated in England?

Charles was thirty years old, when, after sixteen years' exile, he was so unexpectedly placed on the throne of his ancestors. He had a good figure, and though his features were harsh, there was something agreeable in his countenance; and his cheerful, easy, and graceful deportment, made him altogether a very engaging person. He had a great deal of shrewdness and wit; and with common application might have been any thing he pleased. But he loved amusement, and hated business, and to live idly and merrily was all he cared for.

The king began his reign by forming a ministry from amongst the best and wisest men of all parties, and he gave general satisfaction by the choice he made. An act of indemnity, or of general pardon, was then passed towards all those who had taken part against the crown, excepting only the judges who had sat on the late king's trial, and all those

What were the personal qualities of Charles II.?
How did Charles begin his reign?

who had in any other way been immediately accessary to his death. About sixty persons had been concerned in that Of these many were dead, and others had left the

act.

kingdom.

Of those who could be brought to trial, ten only were executed: the rest were reprieved and placed in different prisons. Harrison, who had conducted Charles I. from Hurst Castle, was amongst those who suffered. He died justifying his conduct to the last. Hugh Peters also was executed. He had been one of Cromwell's fanatical preachers, and had not only been very active in stirring up the minds of the people against the king; but also, it was supposed, was one of the masked executioners who beheaded him.

General Lambert, and sir Henry Vane, though they were not absolutely regicides, were yet thought too guilty to be included in the act of indemnity. Vane was executed: Lambert was reprieved, and exiled to the island of Guernsey, where he lived thirty years, and from being a rigid Puritan, became a Roman Catholic.

This act of retribution being performed, the ministry applied themselves to the business of the state. The chancelfor, lord Clarendon, who had attended the king during his exile, had the chief weight in the council, and by his integrity and wisdom the government was carried on for a time with justice and moderation. The old standing army of the republicans was disbanded the king retained only a few guards and garrisons; and most of the fortified places that had not been destroyed in the civil wars were dismantled.

Episcopacy was restored; nine of the old bishops, who still survived, were replaced in their sees, and all the ejected clergy returned to their livings. The Presbyterians saw these measures with dissatisfaction; but an insurrection of one of the sects among the republicans gave the ministry a pretext to insist on the restoration of the church without any modifications. An act of uniformity was passed, which required the assent of all the clergy to several articles very

Who of the late king's enemies were punished?

What became of Lambert and Vane?

Who was made Chancellor, and how was the army regulated?
How were church affairs regulated?

Were Charles's measures in regard to religion acceptable in Scotland?

obnoxious to the Presbyterians. Those who refused to sign these articles were disabled from holding their livings; and, in consequence, two thousand of them were deprived.

The Scots had joyfully seen the restoration of the kingly authority; but when Charles proceeded to settle the affairs of that country, he found the people altogether averse to receive the hierarchy, which he was exceedingly desirous to establish amongst them, perhaps the more desirous, because, in spite of his naturally careless temper, he could not have forgotten the indignities and insults which the spiritual pride of the Scotch Presbyterians had made him suffer when he had formerly been amongst them.

Charles won over Sharp, a Presbyterian leader, to accept the archbishopric of St. Andrews. Sharp was a vindictive and bigoted man, whose conduct only exasperated the people more against episcopacy. He was at last assassinated by a zealous fanatic of the name of Balfour of Bur ley; who, with a small party of men, chanced to meet him, as he was travelling with his daughter, dragged him out of his carriage and murdered him. This brutal assassination put an entire stop to the attempt to introduce episcopacy into the Scotch church.

Charles married Catharine of Braganza,

A. D. 1662. daughter of the king of Portugal. The

new queen had been educated in a convent, and was very formal and grave: she rejected the company of the English ladies, and would only have about her a set of old solemn Spanish duennas. The king found her and her court so dull, that he neglected her society, and spent most of his time with idle and dissolute companions, and unprincipled

women.

Charles entered into a war with Holland, A. D. 1664. which afterwards led to a rupture with France and Denmark. This war was carried on wholly by sea; and the king's brother, James, duke of York, an active, enterprising man, commanded the fleet. Many wellcontested actions were fought, and many fruitless victories gained. One of these engagements lasted four days, and

How did Charles become unpopular in Scotland?

What stopped the introduction of episcopacy in Scotland?
Who was Charles's queen, and what was his domestic character?
What circumstances called forth the talents of James, duke of York?